The Birth of the West by Paul Collins (nonfiction)

Do you like history?  How much do you know about the 10th century?  I knew little to nothing, maybe a bit about Vikings in Britain.  Collins' book is fascinating, covers all of Europe.  Sometimes very detailed histories can run the risk of losing a narrative thread, but not here.  Recommended.

The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis (historical fiction)

Any number of historical fiction writers go for the Borgias, Machiavelli, and Leonardo.  This one is high-quality, a mystery that I didn't figure out for quite a ways into the story.  It is obviously well-researched, suspenseful, and includes a pretty good love story.

Iscariot, a Novel of Judas by Tosca Lee (historical fiction)

Intense and interesting, I refused to put this book down to attend to my phone.  It was emotionally satisfying, and you feel that you gain a nuanced view of the character familiar to so many of us.

Every Noble Knight by Maggie Bennett (historical fiction)

A young knight in the service of the Black Prince...dumb.  Avoid.  Repetitive, annoying, useless, waste of time.

The Watchers, a Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth I by Stephen Alford (nonfiction)

Interesting, illuminating, and the first three chapters were gripping.  They were characterizations of three real spies working for Elizabeth's government.  By the end of the book, I understood more about the real threat to Elizabeth, and more about how her own government contributed to the culture of paranoia concerning that threat.  There was a full explanation of how they caught Mary Queen of Scots breaking specific treason laws.